First Class (3)

On the stage, the wind was blowing, and the flags were fluttering.

Qi Yu's clothes were also moving, fluttering in the wind.

The battle for the first rank was arranged on the Martial Arts Arena.

He walked up step by step, stood firm in the wind.

Slap!

Zhen Tianshuang jumped onto the stage.

After getting on stage, he looked around left and right, pretending to search for Qi Yu's whereabouts. His insane demeanor and contemptuous posture, coupled with his previous cruelty, were enough to instill fear in people's hearts.

From the high platform in the distance, in the private room of the Qi Family's third branch...

Qi Zhao quietly instructed Guan Mingfei a few words. The head of the first branch's guards nodded slightly, then turned and left. He didn't ride a horse but instead used his movement technique. With a few leaps, his figure disappeared into the distance, his whereabouts unknown.

The remaining people, whether it was Qi Zhao, Song Xue, or Qi Yu's mother, Madam Liu, also walked out of the private room and headed towards the arena for the battle for the second rank...

Looking down from above, one could see the training grounds, where crowds were converging towards the arena from all directions.

Everyone's expression was different.

Madam Liu's face was filled with excitement. She walked quickly, supported by the maid Green Bamboo, who had just achieved a Martial Scholar ranking. Qing Dai followed closely on the other side.

Their gazes were locked on the figure in the distance, full of worry.

Qing Dai said, "Madam, Young Master will be alright."

"Where? Where? Why can't I see him?"

Zhen Tianshuang was still on the ground searching for Qi Yu.

The minor official shouted, "Take your positions."

Zhen Tianshuang finally stood up straight, then tilted his head towards Qi Yu, grinning, revealing his sharp teeth.

Qi Yu looked at the young man opposite him. He remembered Huo Wenwen's reminder—he couldn't concede, so he'd be beaten like a sandbag; his body couldn't be controlled, so he'd fall and get up again and again.

However, the only thing that could control the body was strength.

In the end, it all came down to strength.

As long as his internal strength surpassed the opponent's, any elaborate techniques the opponent used would be broken.

If he couldn't see the combat power, he wouldn't dare to be reckless.

But now, he was sure his strength was above his opponent's.

Besides that, the opponent's martial arts level wasn't high, so the variations in their fighting style weren't many.

Qi Yu clenched his fists quietly. Blackness rapidly covered his knuckles, as if he were wearing a pair of black gloves.

All the forces around him surged towards his fists like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

Clang~~

The gong sounded, marking the beginning of the final match for the first rank.

"Ready to sneak attack?" Zhen Tianshuang asked innocently, his eyes bloodthirsty.

Qi Yu slowly raised his right fist and declared, "Watch closely, I'm going to hit your left cheek. Is that a sneak attack?"

Zhen Tianshuang laughed heartily, "Do you take me for a fool? You say you'll hit my left cheek, and I should believe you?"

His tone shifted, and he eagerly beckoned, "But... whatever! Hurry up, hurry up and come over!"

As he spoke, he didn't adopt any proper boxing stance. He merely hunched his body slightly, his hands beckoning playfully forward.

If it were someone else, they might think his strength was unfathomable, that his casual movements were effortless.

But the lower limit of "20" combat power betrayed him.

He wasn't unfathomable.

He was simply unskilled in martial arts, and this was his level.

Qi Yu narrowed his eyes and moved. His footwork was still "Spirit Serpent's Path," but it was now imbued with an elusive grace beyond the standard.

The continuous battles had allowed him to faintly grasp the threshold of integrating the Hunyuan Contending Force into the Spirit Serpent Skill.

The crowd below watched...

Many of them remembered that in Zhen Tianshuang's previous battles, he always started with such playful taunts, allowing his opponents to attack. But after just one round of engagement, the roles of hunter and prey would instantly reverse.

"Come here!"

"Come on!"

Zhen Tianshuang taunted playfully.

Whoosh!

Qi Yu moved.

Zhen Tianshuang's smile vanished as he noticed that although Qi Yu's right fist seemed to be swinging out, his left fist was actually gathering power.

His lips curled up.

A feint to the east, a strike to the west?

The thought flashed through his mind...

Zhen Tianshuang moved, his five fingers hanging loosely, then suddenly shot out, striking towards the left of his charging opponent.

Steam...

White steam.

The white steam that had been swirling around his fists suddenly disappeared to his left, leaving only his right side.

Qi Yu's charging body twisted sharply. His originally probing right arm erupted like a coiled snake! His blood energy surged, his fist broke through the air, carrying a stunning sharpness like a long spear thrust.

He extended his arm to its limit, maximizing the distance between his body and his fist.

In this way, the only thing Zhen Tianshuang could reach was the punch that gathered all his strength – the punch symbolizing his strongest combat power of "63.5"!

No matter how fancy your tricks...

But combat power doesn't lie.

This point.

This punch... is superior to yours.

No matter what methods you use, you cannot be stronger than this punch.

This punch is straightforward and honest.

Zhen Tianshuang's pupils contracted. In his haste, the hand reaching to the left quickly parried to the right. This move was completely without form, lacking power and momentum, like a street thug's random swing, going wherever it pleased.

Time seemed to slow down.

Qi Yu's fist touched the opponent's incoming palm.

The expected head-on collision did not happen. He felt as if he had punched into a viscous, invisible spiderweb.

The "spiderweb" exploded on contact, turning into countless threads that drilled deep into his body!

He had felt this sensation before!

The Golden Wind Jade Dew Pavilion!

When that girl, Xiao Zhi, danced with him, she had made him relax.

At that time, he felt himself being guided by a force to dance, like a puppet on strings dancing lightly with its master. But this time... the pulling force from the opposite side was more than ten times stronger! The threads carried a domineering desire for control, drilling in madly, trying to turn him into a puppet!

Hard, using the body to exert force.

Soft, using force to move the body.

The countless threads surging into his body were the purest soft energy.

They tried to pull his tendons and bones, twist his posture, and manipulate him like a puppet.

However, Qi Yu's fist was the Hunyuan Contending Force, a fist of extreme hardness that condensed all his body's strength.

The momentum of the fist was complete, advancing relentlessly, like a torrent, like a tsunami.

Those soft threads... could not pull him!

No, it wasn't entirely without effect.

In the instant of this power struggle, Qi Yu clearly felt that the soft energy was not destroying him, but "guiding" his body's movement trajectory.

A thought flashed like lightning...

If he could use this soft energy to guide his body spontaneously, instead of being controlled, with his own spirit as the master and his own body as the puppet, then... wouldn't his movement techniques and combat forms be able to reach a higher level?

Many thoughts flashed through his mind...

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

Qi Yu's fierce punch was blocked in mid-air, and Zhen Tianshuang held him, unmoving.

The murmurs from below the stage were about to begin when they were cut off by a loud explosion.

BOOM!!!

Zhen Tianshuang was sent flying backward, rolling several times on the ground. The mocking, bloodthirsty expression on his face vanished, replaced by shock and a hint of fear.

"You..."

"You cheated!"

"Don't come near me! Don't come near me!"

Before he came, someone had confidently told him that within the Eighth Rank, no one could withstand his move.

But now, he had been defeated?

How was this possible?

However, he had encountered Qi Yu, who had abandoned all fancy moves and condensed all his strength into one point, attacking with the purest, most straightforward, and honest hard fist.

This fighting style was too simple, too direct.

Zhen Tianshuang's martial talent was inherently poor; he had strength but couldn't see through Qi Yu's fighting style at all.

Qi Yu continued to advance.

Zhen Tianshuang hurriedly got up.

Bang!

Another punch.

Zhen Tianshuang was sent flying again, rolling on the ground, then got up again, gasping in terror.

Once...

Twice...

Thrice...

Zhen Tianshuang felt his arms growing numb.

His temperament wasn't good to begin with, and in his fear, he looked at his opponent. His speed in channeling his strength wasn't as eager anymore.

Tap...

Tap-tap-tap...

Qi Yu suddenly charged like a wild horse.

His arms stretched to their limit.

One punch transformed into a long dragon, like a spear.

Zhen Tianshuang's mouth fell open, wanting to shout "I surrender."

However, that fist had already landed on his left cheek.

Pfft!

His cheek deformed, his head twisted with a crack, blood mixed with broken teeth sprayed out, and his entire body flew off the ground.

Qi Yu tilted his head up, watching his airborne figure, and calmly announced the next landing spot: "Next punch, your chest."

His fist clenched, white mist surged. His figure moved like thunder.

BOOM!!!

Zhen Tianshuang was sent flying high like a broken, discarded sandbag. The crisp sound of bones breaking reached everyone's ears, signifying... the opponent was crippled.

Below the stage, Song Qinghong, Song Xue, and Madam Liu watched blankly, their eyes quietly moistening.

Inside the hall, incense smoke curled. Old Master Qi was resting with his eyes closed, an indescribable sense of comfort on his face.

Beside him was a cup of tea that had been drunk dry.

Floating in the tea was a flower petal.

This was the Longevity Flower that Qi Changshun had given him at the New Year's meeting.

The effect was unexpectedly quite good. He really didn't know where Changshun got it from.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps.

The footsteps came from far away and grew closer.

Qi Changji walked in steadily. He reached the table, bowed slightly, and said in a steady voice, "Father, the servants said Yu'er passed his martial arts examination and should have performed well."

"Mm..." the Old Master responded.

Qi Changji continued unhurriedly, "If that's the case, the First Branch and the Third Branch will likely criticize you even more for neglecting them previously, saying you are unfair in your dealings."

"I am unfair in my dealings?" The Old Master's eyes suddenly widened.

Qi Changji said earnestly, "Father, harmony is precious within the family. Since the nephew performed excellently, I, as his second uncle, cannot stand idly by. How about this... why not give him an opportunity? It would also be a way to help you, Father, and silence the gossip."

Old Master Qi asked, "What do you want to do?"

Qi Changji said, "The Poison Water Army is currently short of a Squad Leader. It's a position that is tough but very character-building. Let Yu'er come under my command, along with Feng'er. I will personally guide and strictly discipline him, forging this good iron into a sharp blade."

If you can't suppress it, then control it.

As long as he joins the Poison Water Army and Feng'er keeps him in check, what can he do?

Old Master Qi pondered for a moment and said, "You are indeed considerate of the overall situation. I will have Changshun come over now to discuss it with him."

On the other side...

The First Branch of the Qi Family, study...

"Master, Third Master," Guan Mingfei saluted. He had used his movement techniques all the way, hurrying back from the Provincial Examination grounds at the fastest speed.

"How was the Provincial Examination?"

Qi Changfu and Qi Changshun, who were drinking tea, nervously put down their cups and looked at the Guard Commander opposite them.

Guan Mingfei lowered his head and reported, "Third Young Master was Grade A Top in the first two rounds. When I returned, he had entered the competition for the First Rank, and his opponent was Zhen Tianshuang. During that time... he defeated Shi Niu, Zhou Qing, Huo Wenwen, and Lin Wuming."

"Lin Wuming... I've heard of him, the genius from Green Mountain Martial Hall in the north city. He even defeated Lin Wuming?" Qi Changfu asked in disbelief.

Guan Mingfei said, "Yes, Third Young Master took a little over ten breaths of time."

"A little over ten breaths..."

As his words fell, the study fell into a dead silence.

Qi Changfu took a deep breath and said enviously, "Third Brother, your son is truly impressive."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes. "Well... since the good news has arrived, let's begin too."